1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to the recovery of petalite from ores containing feldspar minerals and more specifically to the recovery of petalite from pegmatite ores.
2. Description of Related Art
Petalite is a lithium aluminium silicate mineral (Li, Na), AlSi.sub.4 O.sub.11 or Li[AlSi.sub.4 O.sub.11 ] found in a complex type granites, such as pegmatite. Pegmatites may also contain spodumene, mica, feldspars, quartz and other silicates. It is desirable to separate petalites from feldspar-containing cores such as pegmatites, and in doing so, obtain high yields of high purity petalite.
Conventionally, petalite was separated from ores like pegmatites by sorting and heavy media separation. With such conventional methods, however obtaining a high purity petalite concentrate was not possible to achieve. While froth flotation separation is currently used in many ore benefication processes, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,528 to Bulatovic, herein incorporated by reference, commercial processes for the selective recovery of petalite in high yields have not been successful.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a method of selectively recovering petalite from pegmatite ore that overcomes the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art.